Stress Reduction Techniques-VOLUME 2 : MEDITATION

Back in the winter, before the pandemic hit, I was working at my Children's Center with the two-year olds.  It was a cold, snowy day, and all the teachers were outside with the kids getting some needed fresh air.  I do not remember how the conversation started, but the topic of anxiety came up.  One of the newer, young teachers, started talking about how yoga has helped alleviate her anxiety tremendously, and how she was becoming certified as a yoga instructor for children.  I stated to her how I always wanted to try yoga, but I really felt too old to start learning headstands!  I could barely do the mountain pose! ( You know, standing still?)  She then added how she also found a new meditation app on her Iphone called Headspace, and she was working on an anxiety packet presently.  I asked if the app was free, she said yes, I downloaded it, and fell in love!

If you've never heard of Headspace, I urge you to give it a try.  It has done wonders for my mental health!  Once you download the app, you get a free, 10-day Basics package in which you can learn the basics of the practice of meditation.  You can change the duration of the meditations from 3, 5 or 10 minutes long.  Also, there are free videos to watch, daily motivational quotes, and some sleep techniques you can try out.  In order to gain access to the thousands of other packets they offer, however, you do need to buy a membership.  If you are a new member, however, and you have been affected by the pandemic financially, I believe you can get a year subscription for free.

Anyways, after I completed the Basics package, I was hooked, so I decided to buy a membership.  When you buy a membership, the thousands of meditations that can be accessed can go up in duration to 20 minutes long.  I have done a few packages-"Appreciation", "Letting Go of Stress", "Self-Esteem", "Basics 2", and Basics 3".   All of these meditations have helped my brain to calm down, but specifically the ones I have done have helped me appreciate and have gratitude for everything I have in my life, to not worry about the future and stay in the present moment which alleviates anxiety greatly, and to look at negative thought patterns from different perspectives.  Not necessarily changing the negative thought, but allowing the thought to bubble up, be aware of it, and gently allow it to float away.  The discomfort of the thought naturally lessens over time, and the mind eventually lets it go.  These meditations have been extremely helpful during this time of crisis, where the stress levels in my household have been highly elevated.  If you think about it, however, stress levels have been elevated to dangerous levels on a global scale, as well.  It's in every household, in one form or another.  How great would it be for each person on the planet to meditate for just three minutes a day!  What a difference this would make in the world!  I believe the next package I'm going to try is "Happiness".  This meditation helps to find the joy within yourself, while finding the joy in helping others.  Again, very helpful during this time of crisis, where global happiness is surely lacking!

During my meditation journey, I have learned some new techniques.  These are called "Noting", "Body Scan", "Reflection", "Resting Awareness" and Visualization".   I will explain each technique the best I can:

1. Noting:  If you are busy doing a task, like homework, or remote work, and you find your mind drifting off and being distracted, this technique reminds you to become aware of the distracting thought or feeling and say "Oh, yeah, thinking."or, "Oh, yeah, feeling."  Then gently, like a feather touching a crystal glass, bring your attention back to the task at hand.

2.  Body Scan:  This occurs during the beginning of each meditation exercise.  Think of it like the light on a scanner or copier machine.  Start at the top of the head and scan down.  This brings you in touch with your body, bringing you to an awareness of the physical sensations you are experiencing at that moment, and what your general mood is.  It helped me pinpoint that I always carry anxiety in my stomach area.  A very good daily monitoring tool for your mind and body.

3. Visualization:  This technique was the toughest for me.   In the "Stress" meditation, for example, I needed to visualize warm sunlight trickling down from the top of the head like from a shower head and filling up my whole body starting from the toes upwards.  Your body is supposed to feel spacious, warm, light...the qualities of sunlight.  In order for me to achieve this feeling, I had to meditate outside in the sun so I could actually feel the warmth.  Eventually, I figured it out, but it was a challenge.  For you, however, it might be easy!

4. Reflection:  This technique is when you ask a question in the second-person, and the answer bubbles up in spite of itself.  There is no judgement, however, because since the question is asked in the second-person, you don't have any idea what the answer is going to be.  So, there is no preconceived idea of what the answer SHOULD be.  It's like you are conducting an interview with someone you just met off the street.  For example, in "Appreciation", the question posed was "Who, or what, are YOU most grateful for in YOUR life right now?"  There is no judgement on what your answer should be.  There is no judgement if you don't feel ANY gratitude at that moment.   Just whatever bubbles up.  A very interesting tool to help you get in touch with your feelings in a non-judgmental way. 

5: Resting Awareness:  Now, this was my all-time favorite technique I learned.  Which is interesting, because its an advanced technique, and supposedly very difficult to master.  I found it very easy!  When you meditate, you usually focus on one anchoring thing.  Your in-flow and out-flow of breath, for instance.  For me, to focus, I usually count my breaths from one to ten, then back to one.  Inhale-one, exhale-two, etc.  You do this for a while, then, you actually let go of any focus and give yourself permission to let your mind "be free".  To allow it to do anything it wants.  If it wants to think, you let it think.  I found, after letting go of the focus of the breath, my mind just sat there, like it just zoned out.  Maybe I listened to the birds chirping, or cars driving by, but otherwise, it just rested.  My mind was actually resting!  WWWHHHAAATTT???  Not doing the constant somersaults of anxiety and worry which had always been the case!?  Very refreshing, to say the least.   

So, in conclusion, try meditation.  Try it in any form.  You don't need to get an app, by the way.  Sit on the sand at the beach and listen to the waves, or go beach combing.  Go for a walk in nature.  Sit in a hammock and sway back and forth, listening to the birds.  Sit on your back deck and thank God for this beautiful blue sky you are witnessing.  Whatever it takes to allow your mind to key down, chill out, unwind, relax.  

🙌Its all good.  Really it is.🙌

See you next week!  Stay well!

Be a butterfly...🦋